Third to charles baltzell



(No Model.) v 5 Sheets--Sheen 1.

J. I. CHEESMAN. MACHINE POR MAKING WBLDBD GEAINS.

N0.423,73l. y -Patented Marf18, 1890.`

I Hm I h will'lllulyu[HmmmI witness cm .Jn/mss l CHEESMAN.

N. PETERS. Phnwumngnpbu. washmglgn. n x..

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. 1. GHBBSMAN. MACHINE POR MAKING WELDED GHAINS.

1111.423331. l Patented Mar. 18, 1890.

, rslsmiirfllw JAMES .CHEESMHN,

N. ravens mwulwwpnur. wumnsm. no

(No Model.) 5 sheets-sheen 3.

J. I. OHBBSMAN. l MACHINE FOR MAKING WELDED CHA-INS.

No. 423,731. Patented Mar. 18,1890.

(No Model.) I 5 sheetssheet 4.

u. 1. GHBBSMAN. MACHINE FR MAKING WELDED GHAINS.

No. 423,731. PatenteaMar. 1S, 1890.

dames LCHEEs/wmv.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

J. I.. CHEESMAN. MAGHINE POR MAKING WELDEB CHAINS.

Patented Mar. 18, 1890.

N. Pains. Pmxu-Lnhognpmr. wmingm. ac.

UNITED ISTATES YPATENT 1 OFFICE. i

JAMES IRVlN OHEESMAN, OF .ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE THIRD TO CHARLES BALTZELL, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE kFon MAKING wI-:LDED lcHAINs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,731, dated March 18,1890.

Application filed August 13, 1889'. Serial No. 320,622. (No modeLl To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES IRvIN Canns- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resi- 1- dent of Altoona, in the State of Pennsylvania,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Welded Chains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanical de; vices for bending and weldin g straight blanks to form links and for interlocking the links with one another as they are successively completed to form chains. y l

The invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts, hereinafterset forth and claimed, its object being to eect Vthe required movements, or, in other words, to hold, bend, and weld theheated link-blanks, to interlock the links, and to handle the chain by simple machinery performing most of its functions automatically, and adapted to be attended by unskilled workmen.

Five sheets of Vdrawings accompany this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a side elevation of a butt-weld machine and a vertical section lof its base, illustrating the present invention. Fig. 2 represents a top view of the same with the left-hand side ofthe machine, as seen in Fig. l, at the bottom of the ligure. Fig. 2X represents an inverted plan of the main part or hub of the chainfturner" detached. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, solne of the parts in the plane of section' being shown in eleva'- tion. Fig. 4L represents asectional plan viewy t in the two planes indicated by the line 4 4, A' Fig.` 1. Fig. 5 represents a sectional plan view of the parts below the line 5 5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents an elevation of a lap-weld machine, illustrating another species of the same invention in part. Fig. 6X is a detail perspective view. Fig. 7A represents a.n plan view of that part of said lap-weld machine between its base and the line 7 7 Fig. 6, with the left hand side of the machine, as seen in Fig. `6, at the bottom of the iigure; and Fig. 8 represents another elevationI of this part of said lap-weld machine, showing said left-hand side of the same.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts and correspondingly-num- .ments and dotted arrows the return movebered arrows indicate like motions in the several figures. The full-line-ar'rows in every instance represent the next succeeding movements of the respective parts. 55 In erecting either of A the two chain-Ina` chines represented bythe drawings Iv mount its base B upon a foundation A, Fig. 1, containing a vertical chain-pit C, and the ma--6o motion limited, as by stop-lugs s s on the wheel and pillar, respectively; vertical shafts KK, turning back and forth, as illustrated by arrows 2f" 2b, and transmitting motion 75 from said wheel to said former slides F for periodically closing and reopening the former, as illustrated by arrows 3. 3b; levers L L, actuated b,y said wheel and reciprocating said bending-slides H H2, as illustrated by 8o arrows Ll 4b; a turning-hub M, which occupies the upper partof the bore of the pillar D and receives a quarter turn back and forth,'as illustrated by arrows 5 5b, toturn the chain so that the upper end vof its last- 85 completed link shall beat right angles to the blank for the Vnext link;` a hand-rod N, connected'with said hub M forso turning it, and

ay handlever O, connected with devices hereinafter described for lowering the chain as 9o4 successive links are completed. The movementsof said hand-rodA are illustrated by arrows6n 6b and those of said hand-lever by arrows 7@ 7b. The accessories and details of said shafts K, levers L, hub M, hand-rod N, 95

and hand-lever O, so far as they are at all essentialto the invention,are likewise common to both machines and will' now bepointed out. Said shafts Kl are mounted in suitable bearings, as b b', in the `bases of the ways E roo' and'below the same, so as to depend above the Wheel I, and they are provided at their lower ends with ,rigid horizontal arms a, three on each, which are successively engaged by tappets t', carriedl by said wheel at its peri meter. A short crank-arm c, Figs. 2 and 4, fast on the upper end of each shaft within a suitable recess r, coacts with a transverse slot or groove g in the bottom of 'each formerslide F for vtransmitting motion thereto, and also .supports the shaft vertically, while the peculiarly-shaped recess fr coacts therewith to limit the partial rotations of the shaft to the proper extent. y

The levers L work on pivots p, suit-ably supported in brackets bso as to be transverse to the central vertical planes of said bending-slides H. The lower end of each lever, being suitably shaped, is engaged successively by horizontal inolines i i', carried by the Wheel I, and serving, respectively, to impart to the lever its citent-ive and return strokes- The bar which forms each incline (marked ilworks -011 a vertical pivot and. is held ineffective position by a spring Si. S that in .the return movement of the wheel the lever engaging with the back of the b ar may displace the sanne and be unaffected thereby. The vinner end ,of the bar forming .each incline c" terminatos so as to revolve outside of the lower end of the lever in `its position of rest. The upper, ends of the levers L are coupled. to the slides H by telescoping rods r', (best seen at the left-in Fig. .3,) which are cleared by the castings that form the ways G G2, as seen in Figs. 8,v 4:, and 6.

Theturning-hub M of each machine consists of a hollow vertical cylinder4 fitted to the bore of the pillar D, so as to turn freely, and having a circumferential shoulder s4,

- Fig. 2X, which coacts with a supporting-shoulder 35, Fig. 3, within the pillar. Its upper'end terminates asclose tothe plane of the form er as is convenient, and is provided with internal springffingers f, which depend at the outer walls of its lcruciforin interior. The lower freeends o f these lingers normally occupytheir outermost positions, and are pro.- vided on their backs with projections ,which extend through holes in the walls of the hub 'and reyolve in a circumferential groove g',

Figs. 3 and 4, within the pillar D.

hand-rod N is connected with the hub M byalever-arm yct,.Fig.` 5 which projects reidlvfmm the latter and works in a, horizo'ntal slot S in thepillar D,which limits its moYmQI-ltand that of the hub to ninety degrecs. A suitable guide-bearing b4 for the rod is conveniently attached to said bracket h3.

The hand-lever .O turns on a pivotal supv port p', which may project from any iiXed 6o part of the machine, and iS connected above andN'below its fulerulnby rods r2 with a. pair ofpelgasjngllevers r3, the latter in turn acting v upon ldiainetrically-opposite horizontal thrustbar s t 2,;w-hich at their inne-r ends engage withv the pr lections on the backs of thengers f `of th urninghub M in successive pairsto pressytheingers inward, so as to grasp and support the link last inished. One of the thrust-.bars is exposed to view inthe lower 'plane of section in Fig. 4. Each -of them works in a suitable guide g2 at its inner end, and is supported at its outer end and pressed inward with t-he requisite force by a spring S7, which is conveniently bolted to the outer end of thebase of the way E above it. Where they cross the shafts K the thrust-bars are slotted, as shown in Fig. 4, and their inner ends, together with said projections' on the backs of the lingers f', are so shaped as to engage with each other automatically when the hub M is turned by the hand-rod N.

In the machine represented by Fig. l to 5, inclusive, the former parts f, carried by the slides F, are four in number, apair being per- -manently connected with each slide by dovel tail tongues and grooves d, Fig. l, for example, and normally held apart by a spring sa,

acting upon slotted levers si. l Both planes .0f 'j ed in elevated'positon by a hand-lever Q,

turning on a pivotal posiJ R, is lowered between the respective endv pairs of theyformer parts, as represented by the dotted outline IOO thereof in Fig. 3, s0 as to keep the for-mer eX- l tended as regards its length. A pair-0f heated blanks x are then dropped endwise upon ysuitable gage-surfaces g3, so as to stand vertically at the ends of the extended former in line with its circumferential groove and so as to4 project equally above andbelow its central horizontal plane, as represented' by dotted outlines in Fig. 3.l -The inward movement of the bending-slides Hl (illustrated by the ar- ITOr rows 4J) next follows, and 'when the respect- E ive blanks have reached U shape the spreader l? is withdrawn by the lever Q, as illustrated by the arrow 8, Fig. 3, which permits the bending-.slides to bring the ends of the blanks forcibly. together and simultaneously effect the two butt-welds which complete a link, the

end parts of the former moving freely toward eachother, asillustrated by arrows 9, Figsw2 and 3. For this style of work the former slides H are bifurcated, and each is provided at its inner ends with a pair of grooved antifriction rollers r4, and the upper end of .the 1 turning-hub M is sunk below the top of the pillar D, and the latter is recessed -s'o as not to interfere with the movements of the blanks. Y l

When the blank ends come together, one pair of them is welded within the upper end. of the last preceding link, and the two links are thus interlocked. The bending slides `are immediately retracted, as illustrated by the arrows 4", followed by the retraction of the slides F, as illustrated by arrows 3b, which drops .the newly-finished link into the recess' on until the required length of chain is com-l pleted.

Inthe machine represented by Figs. 6 to 8,

inclusive, the two parts f2 of the former are lixedly attached to 4the respective slides F and are provided, respectively, at top with a central anvilprojection 0,2 and a matching re# cess a2, and both former parts are provided at bottom with rigid supporting projections p4, Fig. 6, and central gage-recesses T5 to engage, respectively, with the current blank m2 and with the upper end of the-link Z2, with which it is to-interlock. The blanks x2 are straight rods with scarfed ends. One is`shown in position in Fig. 7. Longitudinal grooves g2 in the otherwise iiat tops of the'bendingslides H2 receive and hold the blanks. A gage stopgl inl one of these grooves is adjustable for blanks for longer or shorter links. The bending-slides H2 carry a single grooved antifriction roller r? at the inner end of each, andv their ways G2 are in turn guided by ways S,

so as to slide vertically, as illustrated by arrows et 4C. After the former is closed above `the blank, as representedl by dotted outlines Vin Fig. 6 and by arrows 3 in Fig. 7, theways .G2 are elevated Ato the position in which they are shown in Fig. 8, which movement (illustrated by said arrow 4) effects the primary bends of the blank, as represented at the right in Fig. 8. Thebending-slides are nextreciprocated,'one after the other, as illustrated by the arrows 4 ethand by full and dotted outlines in Fig. S, to complete the bending operation. The ways are then lowered, as repre'- sented by the arrows fic, carrying with them the retraced bending-slides. VSaid vertical movements of the ways G2, which distinguish this bending mechanism, are effected by a pair of segmental racks T, carried by the wheel I and concentric therewith, toothed sectors U, mounted in iiXed supports and meshed by said racks, respectively, and `pitmen V, connecting said sectors vwith the sliding ways. Vertical ways W for a drop-hammer X, hav- .ing a suit-ably-grooved face, are supported in proper position by a frame Y, which projects upward from the top of the pillar D, and the hammer is connected by a rod Z with suitable means for elevating and dropping it, such as those of an ordinary steam-hammer; soon as the last bending-slide is retraced the hammer drops and eftectsthe sin'gle-lap-weld of the linkthat is beingmade, the" former, with-its said anvil projection a2, supporting tact.

the overlapping ends of the blank, While thc supporting projections 104,: with the still ele` vated bending-slides, keep the bent blank in shape around the former until it is so welded. The hammer is then reelevated,'the bending-r slides descend with their guides, as aforesaid, the former-slides are separated,and the newly-v finished link with the chain towhich it has been added are manipulated ,with the aid of the hand-rod N,"actuatin g the turning-hub M, and the releasing-lever O, retracting the thrust-slides t2, as in the machinel first de` scribed.

In` either machine as the wheel I is driven by the gearing J in the direction represented by the arrows la from the position of rest in which it is shown in Figs. l to 5 and in Fig. 7 and in `full lines in Fig. 6, the tappets t come in contact immediately with the outermost' of the arms o. of the vertical shafts K, and the motion of the latter is kept up by the contact y of the tappets Ifwiththe next succeeding arms.

Said shaftsK thus receive their semi-rotations, (represented by the arrows 22,) the former# slides F receive their inward movements, (represented by the arrows 32,) and the formers are prepared for the bending operation. In the lap-weld machine, Figsj6 to' 8, the racks T next engage with the sectors U, 'and through the pitmen V the sliding ways G2 receive their simultaneous upward move'ment,'(represented v bythe arrows et, Fig. 6,) leaving them in the elevated position in which they are shown in Fig. 8. The inclines z'aneXt engage with the levers L, and the bending-slides yH H2 receive IOO theirinward movements, (represented bythe arrows 42",) to complete the bending operation. In the buttweld machine, Figs. 1l to 5, the bending-slides Hare moved simultaneously. In the'lap-weld machine the bending-slides H2 are moved one afterthe other, as aforesaid, as illustrated by full and dotted outlines in Fig.8, so as Vto lay the respective ends of the blanks in proper order. In the butt-Weld machine, Figs. 1 to 5, the completion ofthe simultaneous inward movement of the bending-slides H, with their forks in contact-with the ends of the divided former, effects the welding of the link, the spreader P having IIO been withdrawn immediately beforesuch conl The inclines c" next come in-contact with the 1evers`L',-and the bendin'g-slides-receivetheinoutward movements. (Represented by the arrows 4b.) Thi'scompletes the 4cycle of operations effected by each turnl of the wheel I," (Illustrated 'by said arrows l.) In r' the lap-weld machine the hammer X, Fig; 6, now descends, effecting the single'weld ofthe link, andis retracted to the elevated positionin which itis shown. 'In the returny niove-k ment of the wheell, (represented. byithe'arrows 12,) the inclines z" irst pass the ley'feis' L without touching them, and the in'cl-ines 'c' yield outwardly in contact therewith,"s`o as to leave said leversand the slides HH2 in theirk retracted positions. In'the'lap-weld machine the racks T neXtcome in contact with tlie j `able metals, and with shapes and proportions Sectors U, and through the pitmen V lower the ways G2, as represented by the arrows 4,

(Represented by the arrows 3b.) This returns the automatically-moving parts of both machines to the positions of rest in which they are shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and -in Fig. 7 and by full lines in Fig. 6. The newlydinished links, the chains to which they have been added, and new blanks arenext adjustedfor the succeeding operation of each machine, as before described.

Details which have not been specified may be of any approved description, and I do not limit my respective claims, herein after stated, to mechanical details other than those essential to each combination. Itis intended that all the parts shall be constructed ina workmanlike manner, of suitappropriate to their respective functions.

It is further intended that the former parts and like portions of vthe respective machines shall be removable, and that the machines 'skilled machinists. Y

The butt-weld machine, Figs. l to 5, is s'elected for all claims herein that do not apply to both machines. A J

-Having thus described said improved machines, I claim as1 my invention and desire to patent under this specificationl. In combination with a pair of horizontal formerslides carrying the parts of a divided former, a horizontal wheel carrying tappets, vvertical shafts having arms engaged by said tappets, and means, substantially asdescribed, for revolving said wheel back and forth and for transmitting motion from said shafts tosaid slides. f

2. In combination with a pair of bendingslides, a horizontal wheel carrying inclines, a

4. In a machine for making chains, a vertical turning-hub having a cruciform interior, a tubular pillar in'clos'ing and supporting the same and having a horizontal stop-slot, and devices, comprising ay lever-arm which projects from; said hub through said slot, for giv- Aing the hub a quarter-turn back and forth at will for interlocking the links, substantially as hereinbefore described. p

5. The combination of a vertical turninghub having a cruciform-interior provided with longitudinal holding-fingers which have external projections at their free ends and are normally retracted, a thrust-bar arranged to engage with one of said projectionsat right angles to the vertical plane of the blank or blanks, a spring projecting said .bar inward,

and means, as a hand-lever and connections, for retracting the bar at will to lower the chain, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

6. The combination of a vertical turninghub having a cruciform interior provided with longitudinal holding-fingers at its' several outer walls which have external projections at their free ends and are normally re tracted, a pair of thrust-bars diametrically 0pposite each other in a vertical plane at right 'angles to that of the blank or blanks, springs projecting said bars inward, a` retracting `hand-lever, and connections between the latter and both bars,substantially as hereinbefore specified.

7. The combination, in a machine for making welded chains, of a foundation providedv with a chain-pit, a tubular pillarclcted.

thereon communicating with said pit and prO- vided with an internal holding and vturning hub, horizontal former-slides and bendingslides with their Ways at right angles t0 each other at the top of said pillar, a horizontal annular wheel revolving back and forth around the pillarV beneath said slides, mechanisms transmitting motion to the latter from said wheel automatically, and independent meansfor turn-ing said hub and lowering the chain therein by hand, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

ICO

8. In combination with bending-slides work- A ing toward each other, a link-shaping former divided transversely, and a spreader which keeps the respective end parts of the former separated during the bending operation and is retracted to permit them to come together foran immediately-succeeding butt-welding pration, substantially as hereinbefore speci- 9. In combination with a pair of bendingslides working toward each other, a link-shaping former divided transversely and in the plane of its peripheral groove, its respective side parts being-carried by former-slides at right angles to said bending-slides, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

e lO. In combination with a pair ot' bendingslides working toward each other, a link-shaping former divided transversely and in the plane of its peripheralf'groove, its respective side parts being carried by former-slides at right angles to said bending-slides, together with springs and connections which keep the former parts normally separated endwise, substantially as hereinbefore specified.`

IIO

' .11. In combination with a link-shaping l former divided transversely and in the plane of its circumferential groove, a pair of bending-slides having theirinner ends bifurcated and provided at their respective extremities With grooved anti-friction rollers, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

. l2. The combination, with a tubular vertical pillar having an internal turning-hub and a recessed upper end extending above said hub, of a pair of horizontal former-slides at r the top of said pillar, carrying at their inner endsthe parts of a vertically-divided link shaping former, andapair of horizontalbend ing-slides Working at right angles to lsaid former-slides and having their inner ends bifurcated and provided with anti-friction rollers at theirl respective extremities, substantially as hereinbefpore specified.

'J AMES IRVINV CHEESMAN. Witnesses:

MICHAEL ScHENcK, WM. F. TAYLOR.`x 

